New study demonstrates differences in the gut microbiota and regions of the brain in IBS

According to a new study
published on May 1st , UCLA researchers identified a relationship
between the gut microorganisms and brain volume in those with irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS).

This is the first time
researchers have been able to show an association between the gut microbiota
and regions of the brain involved in sensory information processing in patients
with IBS. These results suggest that signals from the brain can influence the
composition of gut microbes and the chemicals in the intestine can shape the
human brain’s structure.

Previous animal studies have
demonstrated effects of gut microbiome on brain function and behavior as well
as the influence of the brain on the composition of microbes in the gut. With
that being said, only one human study has confirmed these findings.

Other research has showed
evidence for alterations of gut microbiome in people with IBS, but there lacked
consistency. In relation to a person’s history with childhood trauma there has
been an association with structural and functional brain changes and childhood
trauma has also been shown to alter gut microbial composition.

In this study, UCLA researchers
collected behavioral and clinical measures, stool samples, and brain images from
29 adults diagnosed with IBS and 23 healthy individuals. They used DNA
sequencing to quantify composition, abundance, and diversity of the gut
microbiota. The researchers then cross-referenced these gut microbial measures
with structural features of the brain.

The samples from those with IBS were
clustered into two subgroups based on the composition of the microbes in the
gut. One group was similar from the healthy control subjects, while the other
differed. Those in the group with an altered gut microbiota had more history of
early life trauma and longer duration of IBS symptoms. The two groups also
displayed differences in brain structure.

The researchers stated that an analysis
of individual’s gut microbiome may become a routine screening test for people
with IBS in clinical practice, and in the future, therapies such as certain
diets and probiotics may become personalized based on an individual’s gut
microbial profile. This is what many of us have done the past several decades
in functional medicine.

One may
need a combination of botanicals, enzymes, and probiotics to optimize the
gastrointestinal environment. Certain diagnostic tests may also be beneficial,
including stool
testing as well as food antibody testing. In
addition, a number of
studies have suggested a potential role for serum-derived bovine
immunoglobulin/protein isolate (SBI) as a potential therapy for IBS.